Awakening Reality
by Summoner Angel
Summary: Riku has never been a hero. He never had the full weight of that destiny upon his shoulders...Until now...Something unknown forces Sora and Kairi to make a difficult decision that thrusts the worlds back into chaos...RikuXOC SoraXKairi RoxasXNamine
1. Prologue: Dreams vs Reality

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Hello hello! I stumbled across this older story whilst cleaning out one of my many thumb drives and I was pleasantly surprised! This has been my only Kingdom Hearts story to date and I remember vividly how enthralling it was to write. Hopefully, you, the readers, feel the same way about reading it!

It's a little "dark" I suppose…You'll see what I mean after the first chapter! Well, without further ado, here it is!!! Please read, review, and be constructive!!!!

Thanks!

~SA~

**Awakening Reality**

Prologue

The haze of sleep can do very strange things to one's mind as they totter on the edge of waking. Dreams linger, tugging on the consciousness of the person, beckoning them back into the land of slumber.

The real world claws at the senses, demanding the alert attention of the yet-sleeping mind. Even long-lost memories float to the surface of cognition, bringing dead emotions and half-spoken apologies with them.

What happens when those worlds of memory and reality begin the melt into one another? What happens when it becomes impossible to distinguish between them? What really is real?

Are memories of people, of friends and loved ones, not just as real to the person remembering them as they were when they were "real"? If that is true, than how can anyone call anything truly _real_? Does it feel different?

Reality…


	2. Chapter 1: Sweet Dreamer

Chapter 1: Sweet Dreamer

_~*Riku*~_

Th-thump. Th-thump. Th-thump. Steady beat, pulsing in the air. Cold. So cold. Surrounded by darkness, still the steady beat. Th-thump, th-thump, th-thump. A heartbeat? How can it be so cold? I need to figure out where I am. I know I've been here before. Two steps forward. Steady. I can hear my own breath in my ears, loud. Too loud. Echoing. It's empty around me, there is nothing near me. Two more steps forward. Hollow echoes. My breath catches in my throat; I know where I am. The Realm of Darkness. Panic takes over my senses; I can't see, barely breathe or hear anything but that pulsing beat. I can't get trapped here again. I can't!

I take off running, hands out in front of me. My mind flies to Sora and Kairi, the Islands, anything to keep me from sinking into the darkness around me. I have to find a portal. But, the only ones capable of opening portals were the Nobodies in Organization XIII. Am I stuck? Th-thump, th-thump, th-thump. The beat is faster now, drowning out my ragged breaths as my feet pound the nothingness beneath me. I can't tell if I'm even moving. The darkness feels like its pulling me down, I feel heavy. And cold. I can't do this again. "Pl-please…" My voices cracks and trails off, sounding terribly small in the darkness. I can't move anymore. The darkness is devouring me. Where's Sora? Why isn't he here? Where is Kairi or even those bumbling dolts Donald and Goofy? Why am I all alone? I squeeze my eyes shut, warding off the thoughts of darkness taking my heart and saving me from the cold fear. "I'm all alone…"

Suddenly, the darkness is gone in a flash and I'm standing in a beautiful garden, the heartbeat falls away into silence, the air is moist and warm. The lush green plants overflow onto a white marble walkway that twists away until it meets a huge fountain. Everything looks so bright, so pristine and perfect. I can hear the trickle of the fountain and distantly some birds chirping. I begin walking, admiring the beauty of the garden. Huge flowers set in rivers of jewel-green leaves; reds, purples, oranges, yellows, pinks. Kairi would love it here.

I blink and I'm suddenly standing right in front of the fountain, staring at the statue at the center of the crystalline pool. It's of a girl, a beautiful girl with long hair and a sad smile on her face. The water is trickling out of the platform around her feet; one of her hands is outstretched as if she was frozen in that pose. She looks very real. And somehow _very_ familiar. I study her face, trying to place it somewhere in my memories. A faint whisper of a song slips into my mind, pulling my thoughts to the beach on the island and a little girl grabbing my hand and leading me to the water. Her hand was so small, she was humming. I gasp, looking back at the statue. "You're-" "_Riku…"_ A voice speaks from all around me at once, the blank white marble eyes of the girl digging into me. "_Riku…"_ A harsh ringing pain interrupts the voice, ripping me away from the garden, dragging me back through the darkness, and throwing me into the waking world.

I sit up with a shout, reaching out to grab the outstretched hand of the girl. Who was she? How did I know her? My eyes fly open to focus on a very flustered looking Kairi, her hands trapped in mine, leaning over the foot of my bed, desperately trying to stay balanced. "Kairi!" I cry, letting her go so fast that she lost her balance and tumbled to the ground with a grunt. Still shaken from my dream, I stumbled out of my bed and tried to help her to her feet. "I'm fine, Riku, I've got it!" She breathed, shooing my hands away with her own. She laughs gently, raising an eyebrow at my doubtlessly odd expression. I chuckle and shake my head. "Sorry about that. I was just…" I think back on the dream, wondering if I should tell her about it. Kairi might know what was going on with that weird dream. Or maybe Namine would know…

"Dreaming?" Kairi ventured, leaning forward to catch my attention again. "Y-yeah. I was dreaming." I mumble, embarrassed by my behavior. Usually I'm not that easily excited or jumpy. I leave that to Sora. "Well, Sora demands your presence on the island, Sir Sleeps-a-lot! He says he has to talk to you about something important." I turn from my old friend to rifle through a pile of clothes near my bed, looking for my shirt. "What is it?" I ask, pulling the shirt over my head as soon as I grabbed it. I hear Kairi sigh heavily; I can almost feel her anger. I whirl, catching her blue eyes with mine. Yeah, just as I thought.

"Let me guess, he won't tell you." I said, hiding my smile as I threw myself back onto my bed in order to slip my shoes on. "No, he won't! You know, you'd think he wouldn't keep secrets from me anymore. Since you never know when…" The anger in her voice broke to sadness. I could hear the tears in her voice. I stopped tying my left sneaker and looked up at her. She covered her mouth with her hand and turned away from me, tears glimmering in her clear blue eyes. "Kairi, we don't know that he'll-" "I know! I know. But we don't know that he'll make it either, you know? We don't even know what he has, Riku."

There it was. The real reason everyone was so on edge since Xemnas' defeat wasn't trying to rebuild the worlds, restoring their glory. It wasn't quenching the sudden Heartless uprising either or the sealing of the World That Never Was. None of that had taken quite the toll that this issue had on the brave hearts of my friends and I. Sora was sick. Very sick and no one really knew what it was. When we all got back to the islands we were all exhausted and slept a lot, lounging around. I didn't think anything of Sora's complaints that he was tired, that his chest hurt; he always _was_ the King of Complaints, after all. But, it soon became clear that it was something much more serious. One day we had all been out playing blitzball with Tidus and Wakka when suddenly Sora started coughing.

He coughed until he spat up blood and fainted. I've never seen him look so helpless before in my life. I've never felt that scared before. I don't want to lose him. I can't lose him again; not after all we all went through to get back together. Sora pretended nothing was wrong, but he wasn't himself after that day. He stopped running everywhere, he stopped arguing with everyone about stupid things, he spoke softly, and he rarely laughed. He seemed resigned, like he knew he was a lost cause or something. His parents had all sorts of doctors come look at him, but none of them could come up with a better diagnosis than "battle fatigue." I knew it wasn't battle fatigue; Sora never experienced that. He was such a strong guy. His heart kept him strong.

But, in the past few months, it seems like that strength of heart has been deserting him. He seems sapped and like he was slowly fading right before my eyes. All of this ran through my head as I pulled Kairi into a comforting hug, her sobs wracking my body too. Poor Kairi; her heart belonged to Sora so completely that I worry about her sometimes. What will happen to her if he dies? My half-formed feelings for her rose to the surface of my thoughts, but I shoved them back down. Kairi would never have me, even if we lost Sora. I knew that better than anyone.

Later on, when we had arrived at the island, I stepped off my boat and helped Kairi out of hers, both of us silently surveying the tropical paradise before us. Everything was calm as usual; the haven of our childhood remained firmly our sanctuary as we got older. The boat trip from the main island wasn't very long or difficult, but Sora insisted upon making that journey everyday alone. He was already there, I caught sight of his boat as close to the shore as possible. After smiling weakly at Kairi, I set off at a jog down the dock towards the beach. The little shack near the waterfall served as our hangout, as it always had. Most of the time, we all just sat around with Sora, talking and joking; trying to keep the mood light. That was the real challenge. I heard Kairi's slow, deliberate footsteps behind me. I let her take her time. We all needed time, especially now. Sora needed the most time out of all of us.

I knocked twice and pushed the door open, expecting Sora to greet me from the little nest we had built him in the corner. To my surprise it was completely empty; a pair of yellow and black sneakers sat beside it and a set of footprints in the sand floor led to the stairs. I left the door open, waving to Kairi who was still on the beach. She waved, the wind catching her hair and whipping it around her face. She was so beautiful when she was sad. It seems like a pitiful waste of beauty, to me at least. Beauty should always be a happy, beaming face. Not a tear-stained, sullen pout. Pity was the last thing Kairi wanted now however…

I shook myself and hurried up the stairs, heart hammering in my ears. I wanted to know what Sora wanted to talk about. It had to be deep if he didn't want Kairi to even know about it. As I pushed the door open that led out to the bridge, I froze. Was someone humming? That song, it was the song from my dream, from that memory of the little girl. I turned slowly, gazing back at the beach. Kairi was gone, but a little girl stood near the docks, her long black hair drifting slowly on the breeze. She looked up at me and smiled sadly. She looked just like-

That piercing pain returned, blocking all conscious thought from my mind and forcing my hands to my head. I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head as hard as I could. That song lingered in the corners of my mind, speaking of innocence and loss. Who was that girl?

Thoughts like that would have to wait. I finally pulled my mind from the dream, the song, and the girl and back to Sora. He was sitting on the leaning tree that served as our perch every night at sunset. The breeze was playing with his hair, pulling at his clothes. He reached up and pushed some hair out of his face even as I rounded the trunk. "Hey! What's up, Sora?" I inwardly flinched at how cheery I sounded. How fake am I? Sora heard it too, but he smiled anyway. "Not much. I was watching the birds." His voice, however soft and weak it sounded, still retained some of the power and presence he had carried through all those battles. His intense eyes were fixed on a pair of birds dancing in the wind. I watched the birds for a minute before glancing back at Sora. He had lost a lot of weight since he stopped eating about three weeks ago. He said he'd just throw it all up anyway. His bare feet dangled beneath him, skimming the sand every third swing or so. "I thought you weren't going to come today. It's so late." He breathed this, coughing raggedly after heaving in a gasp.

I flinched again and jumped onto the tree next to him. "Yeah, I slept in pretty late huh?" Sora wheezed a little then, his sickly laugh. I knew it hurt for him to actually laugh. That must be torture for him. Sora loved laughing. "So, what's up? Kairi said-" "Kairi…" Sora sighed and ran a shaky hand through his hair. "I can't tell her what I'm telling you because I don't want her to get hurt again. I'm trying to push her away so when I-" "NO! Don't even say that!" I roared this and leapt off the tree, pacing to the edge of the island and glaring at the water. "Riku, I'm just facing the reality of all this. I've been doing a lot of thinking and…" He trailed off and I felt his hand on my shoulder. He still moved pretty fast when he wanted. That was a good sign.

"Please just listen to me." His voice sounded watery with tears and I knew if he cried I'd bawl like a baby. To save face I pursed my lips and listened. "Roxas has been coming to me in my dreams and talking to me about things. He said my heart is sick. He said the light inside of it is being snuffed out by something. He said he can't tell what it is, but he knows it's not stopping." Sora paused and heaved in a few ragged breaths. I turned to face him, locking eyes with him. "Go on." I urged, nodding him forward. This seemed to be very difficult for him to say.

"Roxas told me to stop fighting it. He said that my heart won't die if I just give in. I thought right away that he was just trying to come back, ya know? Cause if my heart fades, he'll be brought back out, right? That's not what it is though. He says he talked to Namine and she said if I kept fighting I'd die. So, tonight, I'm giving up and letting it go." "Sora!" I cried, grabbing his frail shoulders suddenly. I couldn't believe what I was hearing! "What are you saying? You can't give up! Maybe someone else has had this! Maybe Ansem did some research on it! I'll go to Radiant Garden right not and see. Or maybe Merlin or Yen Sid or even Aerith-maybe they know some healing magic that can help!" I took off running, trying to escape what Sora was saying, trying to save him and myself that pain.

"Riku! Stop!" Sora shouted this, his voice melding with Roxas's suddenly. I turned back as some clouds skimmed across the sun and cast a shadow on Sora. For an instant, I saw Roxas standing there. His expression was immensely fierce and determined. He still had more to say. "Just listen to me Riku! If Sora gives into the illness, I can help you guys find a cure. He'd be too weak in that state if he keeps fighting. You know that, don't you? Deep down in your heart you know I won't do anything to hurt Sora. He taught me that I could still _feel_, Nobody or not. He's my heart and I can't let him die."

The sun rippled through the clouds and Sora slumped over to his knees, heaving in breaths and coughing hoarsely. 'Sora!" I ran to him, scooping him up in my arms. I was shocked at how light he was. "Just hold on Sora, I'll get you inside. Hold on…" I let my voice trail off as Sora smiled gently and let his head fall back. He looked like a little kid again. Everything around me slowed down as I gazed at his peaceful face, relaxed in sleep. Sora was the light that led me through the darkness, he was the key that held all the worlds together, but most of all, he was my best friend. I heard Kairi's keening cry behind me as I stood there cradling the keyblade's chosen in my arms like a baby.

_"I'll find a way to save you, I promise." _

Later that night, I sat with Kairi by Sora's little nest of blankets in that beach shack. The waves were crashing outside, melting with the sounds of Sora's struggling breaths. Kairi was holding his hand; her eyes never left his face for a second. I wondered what she was thinking about. I wondered if she knew a way to help him. No, if she did she'd say something. I figured Namine and Roxas were communicating somehow through that silence, discussing their options. The moonlight was sifting through the cracks in the boards, painting our faces with pinstripes of darkness and light. I was trying to keep myself from flying off and contacting Donald and Goofy to come get me with the Gummi ship. I knew I had to wait for Sora to wake up; I had to hear his voice one more time before Roxas returned.

Suddenly, Kairi looked at me, the intensity in her eyes sending a chill down my spine. "I'm going with him." "What?" "Sora, I'm going to let my heart go with his and keep him company while he sleeps. Namine and Roxas know more about the darkness than I do. And, I don't think I can wait for Sora anymore." Tears gathered in her eyes and she brushed a piece of hair out of Sora's face. "I love him too much to wait." I nodded, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly and wiping a stray tear off her pale cheek. "Alright then, I guess I have to say goodbye to both of you again. You guys are such a hassle!" I let my voice sound about as sarcastic as I could in an attempt to lighten the mood a little. Kairi laughed and wiped the rest of her tears away. "Thank you for understanding, Riku."

She thanked me for understanding, but I never really understood. I guess since I had no one to love that insanely, that crazily that I wouldn't let my heart leave my body with someone else's, sleeping in darkness while my Nobody looked for a cure for my love. I'd do it all myself. I always did things on my own. I liked it better that way. If something went wrong, I could only blame myself and only I could get hurt. I was worried for Kairi and for Sora, too, but I knew that if something went wrong, Kairi's heart would let me know. Sora's might be too weak for that.

As soon as Sora woke up, I carried him back up the stairs. He said he wanted to get a papou fruit to share with Kairi before they slept. He seemed genuinely happy that she wanted to go with him. It seemed to lend him some strength as I held his waist so he could balance on that unsteady branch. He snatched one of the star-shaped fruit and laughed victoriously, a real laugh that sounded too much like Roxas for my liking. I felt detached from all this, the exchange of glances between them, the way they stood, arms length apart, but somehow close enough to make me feel uncomfortable. I turned away and cleared my throat, attempting to focus on anything else as the sound of their hushed voices reached my ears. I heard them both say something at the same time, three words that I didn't really catch as the wind picked up around us.

I turned back around to see them both gripping opposite ends of the papou fruit, eyes shut, identical expressions of withdrawn peace on their faces. The wind grew stronger and began whirling around them in a whirlwind fashion. I held my breath and took two steps closer. "Sora! Kairi! Wait! I-" Suddenly, the papou fruit lit up, flashing a rainbow of light out into the night sky. Its light joined the wind and whirled around my two closest friends, swallowing them whole. One more bright flash and a shockwave that shoved me off the island and into the water signaled the end of whatever odd ceremony had just occurred. I swam to the ladder, shaking water off as I climbed. Please, I prayed, please let them both be okay. Please.

I jumped onto the platform and a very strange sight met my eyes. Sora and Kairi were both floating about three feet above the ground, glowing with separate, yet somehow very similar auras. Around Sora there was a shimmering red and gold aura and around Kairi was a silvery pink aura. Their eyes were shut, mouths slightly slack. Using a technique I picked up in the Realm of Darkness, I sent out a probe of energy. Their hearts were gone. There they were, floating there, completely Heartless. I stepped slowly closer to them, my eyes darting around, looking for any sign of their hearts. Since they gave them up willingly, they should still be around. I figured I could use my keyblade and take their hearts and bodies to Twilight Town. The lab there should be safe enough for them.

It was eerie, looking at them just floating there. Their auras were pulsing softly, completely in synch. Their hands were clasped; I hadn't noticed that before. For an instant, I felt a bolt of jealousy tear through my body. Why did Sora get to save the day _and_ get the girl? Where was my happy ending? My hero's welcome? Sora always got the best of everything. I felt a familiar dark hatred bubble up within me and a familiar, responsorial fear. I shook my head, ridding it of such thoughts. I knew what I had to do. I had to protect my friends until Namine and Roxas surfaced. Then we could figure out a cure for Sora's illness.

'There you are…" I breathed a sigh in relief when I caught sight of two hearts, glowing brilliantly and hovering, circling rather, around the papou fruit that lay deserted on the sand. I summoned my keyblade and aimed it at the two hearts, they froze, the fainter of the two spinning frantically into the brighter heart. They combined with a flash and were absorbed into my blade within that second. Had their hearts really just combined? Again? I smiled faintly and glanced up at the comatose Kairi. So that had been her plan. She was going to try to save Sora in her own way, using her love and the purity of her heart.

Donald and Goofy were more than happy to help out with my venture, sending a gummi ship as quickly as they could. They apologized for their absence, citing some very important business at the castle. I understood, accepting that almost happily. I would rather have the ship to myself so that I might think a little. I used my keyblade to propel the Heartless duo onto the ship's cargo bay and secured them into two seats near the back of the ship. That way they'd be safe and I wouldn't have to see their sadly emotionless faces. I needed to focus now. I needed to focus on everything that was going on. I set the ship's course for Twilight Town and settled into the captain's seat. I began to hum a song under my breath without even realizing it. Soon, I was drifting into sleep and being swallowed by a familiar darkness. The last thing I thought of before I slid into that silent cold of the Realm of Darkness was the face of that girl; the statue opening its eyes. They were a brilliant shade of violet.

_"Riku…"_

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **SO?!? Questions, comments, criticisms??? Why don't you review?

Oh and before you ask me if I hate Sora and Kairi, I really don't! I like them a lot! I just like Riku's depth of character and I wanted to put him the hero-seat for a change! Also, the strength of the friendship between Sora, Riku, and Kairi is a very powerful thing through the games so I wanted to test its boundaries!

Lemme know whatcha think!!!

PLEASE?

~SA~


	3. Chapter 2: The Dark One

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** This chapter's a little different, mainly because it's a LOT shorter than the first and it's told from a different point of view. Whose point of view you ask? Well, you'll have to read it to find out! Or perhaps you won't find out just yet…?

There's only one way to find ANYTHING more out! READ ON!!!

THANKS!

~SA~

Chapter 2: The Dark One

_~*The Dark One*~_

Darkness. Nothing but darkness and darkness and darkness. So empty and meaningless because it was the only thing around me. For an eternity, it seemed. I had been trapped here for how long? A year, two years, maybe ten. What did it matter anyway? There was nothing for me there any longer. Not since _he_ had betrayed me and left me here to rot in that prison of rank emptiness. I let my breath out in a hiss, its echo soothing the edges of my hot, ragged anger. Hatred seethed beneath my skin, rushing to the tips of my fingers and burning for battle. I lifted my hands before my face, letting the anger transform into a violent energy that whooshed into brilliant life around my hands.

Intense purple-blue fire danced from my fingers and lit the eternal abyss around me faintly. The darkness seemed to flinch and withdraw from me slightly, its heaviness lifting. I couldn't help but sigh and smirk suddenly. I still had all the power I once had here. I still had the power that had intoxicated and bewitched _him_, drawing him near and then terrifying him. His fear led him to betray me and my hatred was so deeply rooted in that betrayal that I could hardly sleep for all the burning hate I felt.

An image of him flashed into my head and the flames flickered brighter. I imagined him as I had last seen him, standing over me, his blade at my throat, eyes cold and emotionless. Two orbs of brilliant teal, the green-blue heralds of my imprisonment. A vicious growl escaped under my breath and I clench my yet-flaming hands into fists. I still hate him for everything he is. I still want nothing but the hot feeling of his blood leaking down my hands as I rip his heart from his chest. The thought of that makes me smile.

Suddenly, my memories sift through the dark hatred and rip a long-buried image of him into my thoughts. He's smiling at me, his lips parted slightly to display his perfect teeth. The moon, high in the deep darkness of the World That Never Was' sky, made his silver hair glow and a familiar, long-dead tickle of excitement trills through my body. I sigh, remembering how his arms had felt around me, how happy I had been lying there in the circle of those powerful arms. I had actually been happy to be his sanctuary from the dark storm of his life.

Our hearts had met in the darkness of that place and found solace in the emptiness they found in each other. We were both damaged and fractured pieces of who we used to be. Kindred spirits. I realize with a jolt that I miss him. Tears, hot and bitter, jump into my eyes and I burrow my head into my knees, trying to hide from all my memories, to hide from the warmth that still lingered on my skin. It still yearned for his touch.

I don't know how long I sat there, sobbing bitterly and rocking back and forth, my mind dwelling on why he had hurt me like he had. I wondered why he had betrayed me after we talked about escaping the darkness together, about going back to the islands. Back home. Wait, home? My home is…

I lifted my head suddenly, tears quelled by this thought. Where exactly _is_ my home? All I can remember is the darkness around me, the World that Never Was, _him_. No other world or people come to mind. I can't even recall why he had spoken of returning to the islands. What islands? Why would we both be returning? I silently wished I could ask him, just turn to him in the middle of the night, brushing my hand against his cheek and whispering that question into his ear. I wish I could touch him again. I wish, I wish…

Suddenly, the darkness around me shifts, rolling and writhing eagerly. Something was happening. I stood, calling my spirit fire again, creating a sword that glowed brilliantly in the shifting, roaring storm around me. I narrow my eyes, trying to discern exactly what was happening. This was something I had only seen one other time, when the Heartless Ansem had been defeated. He had been wiped out and the Realm of Darkness reacted, growing weaker and drawing away from the strength of the light. I remembered how terrified I had been then, how weak I had felt. I was flung to the far edge of the darkness, forced to fight my way as far as the World that Never Was. That's where I-

My reminiscing was interrupted as a brilliant green explosion shook the already roiling ground beneath me. I bolted towards it, knowing that a portal was being opened and knowing exactly who was opening it. That precocious little witch, Maleficent. She thought she was the master of the Heartless, a wielder of incredible dark power. She didn't even know what incredible power felt like. She hadn't been living my dark life, now had she?

I let my feet carry me over the rolling, dipping darkness, skidding to a halt a few feet in front of Maleficent towering form. A ring of sour green light emanated from her staff, throwing a sallow pallor on her already disgustingly discolored face. I didn't hate her so much as I pitied her. I swung my sword in a circle as I paced back and forth before her. She looked surprised to see me, as if she hadn't expected to run into me on my own turf. Pitiful. "How pleasant to see you again. It's been _too_ long." Maleficent softly spoke in her greasiest voice, her cold eyes fixed on me, betraying her fear. She was terrified of me. Good. She should be.

I let a laugh escape my mouth, a mischievous gleam lighting my eyes. "Maleficent, when have I ever been pleasant to you?" Without further warning, I lunged at her, bringing my energy sword out in front of me in a wide arc, hoping to catch her as she dodged. I was right. She dodged backwards and my brilliant violet-blue blade clipped her arm, hissing loudly. Maleficent shrieked, seething and summoning up a powerful spell to counter my attack. I laughed at her attempts, pitiful excuses for spirit fire rolling off me like water. The darkness in my heart had gotten stronger, lending me its power as I battled against her uselessly weak skills.

Finally, she fell back, leaning against her staff, heaving in deep breaths and watching me with obvious terror painted on her face. My laughter returned, bending me over and forcing me to gasp in huge breaths to compensate. "Oh, that was fun! I've missed pummeling helpless fools." I lifted my head then, knowing what effect my words would have already had on her. I was right again. Her mouth was agape and she looked infuriated. Petrified with fear, but enraged nonetheless. This forced my smile to widen. "Thank you kindly Maleficent, for that exhilarating battle. Now, why did you come to see me?" I began pacing again, slower this time, swinging my sword up so that the flames jumped from palm to palm as if I were juggling them.

Maleficent watched me for a minute before deciding I wasn't going to attack again. I might have if she hadn't spoken at that exact second. Patience wasn't one of my things. "I came to see how you fared in your prison. I know you've been stuck here for a long time since Ri-" I leapt at her then, my spirit fire launching off my hands and circling her head in a violent whirlwind. Her scream signaled its victory. "You will _never_ speak that name again, Maleficent. Now, what were you saying?" After a few shaky breaths, she continued speaking, her eyes following the spirit fire as it leapt from my left hand to my right hand. What a coward. I hadn't hurt her, only made it impossible for her to speak _his_ name ever again.

"I just wanted to tell you that the balance has shifted." I froze, my spirit fire dying in my hands. The only light now was the weak green light of Maleficent's staff. I met her gaze and caught her smirk. Growling I rushed at her and grabbed her throat. "How? What happened?" She squirmed, struggling to catch a breath, I tightened my grasp until she blasted me back with her own power. I laughed and stood up, dusting off my pants. "Good, good girl. Now, answer me!" My command clashed with the echoes of my laughter, lost in the rush of the darkness around us.

"I do not know what triggered the shift! All I know is that Sora and his little princess, Kairi, have disappeared from the Realm of Light. This is our chance to rise up and stamp out the rest of their little battle and be victorious!" She laughed then, maniacally and melodramatically. The sound of it grated on my nerves and sent me into a frenzy. I leapt on her and summoned up all my strength, blasting her into oblivion. I knew it wouldn't last; she was unstoppable in the Realm of Darkness. I just knew it gave me the perfect opportunity to escape that terrible laugh. It also offered me the chance I needed to use her staff to summon a portal to the Light and finally escape my prison.

I lifted the staff from where it had fallen when I tackled her, my mind flickering back to that happy image of him smiling at me. I smiled slightly in the glow of the portal I had just opened. Finally, I could find him. I could find him and exact my revenge upon him. Finally I could see him again. And kill him for betraying me.

The intensity of the Realm of Light shocked me and I stumbled as I stepped out of it. The land before me was a white, sandy beach; blue waters blurring into the bright sky melting into the dashing clouds. The light was too much. I couldn't take it any longer and collapsed. Then everything sunk back into darkness. Sweet surrender…


	4. Chapter 3: Teasing Fate

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Sooo I missed the memo about VIII/XIII Day apparently and posted the first two chapters of this story on 8/13… Sooo no one's read it apparently…Which stinks! Usually I wait til I get some reviews before I post more chapters, but I figure I'll post another one and see if I can get some readers' attention!

Please enjoy and review!!!

**~SA~**

Chapter 3: Teasing Fate

~*_Riku*~_

Here, now. The dream again. There I was, in the darkness. Casting around, looking for some way out. This time, I didn't fight it, I took three deep breaths and brought out my keyblade. It glimmered with a mixed pink, red, silver-gold sheen, lighting the abyss around me. I smirked, silently thanking my friends. The light in their hearts had always pulled me through.

But, in this dream, I knew I had to get to that garden somehow. The fastest way I could think of was remembering that song. I hesitated slightly, not really knowing what I was getting myself into, but knowing I wanted to understand this dream, I began humming it. As I hummed, the darkness seemed to swell and try to pull me down. I shook my head, squeezing my eyes shut; I never stopped humming.

In a slow trickle, images mixed with words, seeped into my mind. The beach, the little girl, her hand clasped in mine, her eyes. The wind blows, her black hair scatters in it, her violet eyes piercing my very soul. I suck in a breath as the image shifts, I'm back in the realm of darkness. No, it's The World that Never Was. I'm standing in the moonlight, my keyblade in hand, towering over a familiar looking woman, her black hair spread out on the ground beneath her head; her eyes were closed, she'd been crying, tear stains marring her ivory cheeks.

I feel words leave my mouth, but I can't hear them. Another flash and I'm standing back on the beach, a figure is standing out on the peninsula island. Her long hair is blowing in the wind; I hear the song loudly in my eyes. The words are clear now, and they center me on the thought of finding out who that girl was.

_In you and I,_

_There's a new land._

A shockwave of light rips me from that beach and throws me into the garden. The song, fainter now, draws me towards the center of that place, towards the fountain.

_Angels in flight._

_A sanctuary, my sanctuary._

I feel like the air around me is alive, vibrating with the words being whispered to me in that song. The statue in the fountain stands like a sentinel of that vividly unreal place. The sound of the water trickling is muted; I hear only that melodic voice serenading the memories out of my mind.

_Where fear and lies,_

_Melt away._

_Music and time…_

My brow furrows in thought, eyeing the marble girl curiously. She looks like the girl in the darkness and the girl on the beach. Driven by some lingering feeling, some hint of a tickle of a memory, I want suddenly to touch her face. "I know you…don't I?" My voice, sounding loud and harsh, echoes very strangely.

I take a few steps towards the statue, trying desperately to sift through the images in my mind and come up with a name, a history, anything that would tell me who she was and why she haunted my dreams. "I want to remember you. I…" I trailed off, stepping up onto the base of the fountain, the water running over my feet, feeling real.

"I…" My voice just wouldn't leave my throat, but I wanted to say it. I felt so many things all at once. I felt like I had known this girl well, even to the point of wanting to be _with_ her; I felt love and hate and spite and pity and incredible desire. But, over all this, I felt the need to protect her from everything bad in the world.

Two more steps, heavy underneath the rushing water of the fountain. The bright light of the garden lit the face of the girl trapped in the statue and she almost seemed to glow. I stretched out my hand, wanting so much just to remember her name. The song hummed in my ears, the next few words whispering into my ears just as my hand made contact with her marble cheek.

_What's left of me,_

_What's left of me now._

The ripping pain forced its way back into my head, tearing me from that dream, leaving my hand outstretched and my voice forcing its way out of my throat. A guttural shout escaped my mouth and I felt oddly uneasy suddenly. Something was wrong, I could feel it. I cast my eyes around, trying to see if there was something out of place in the cockpit of the gummi ship. Nothing was misplaced, malfunctioning, or on fire, for that matter. Still, something just seemed wrong.

I jumped out of my seat and sighed heavily, pushing my hands through my long hair. A cold sweat was beaded on my forehead, something I hadn't noticed before. Strange. That dream really shook me up. Or maybe, not the dream, but whatever was making me uneasy.

I quickly made my way back to where I had stored Sora and Kairi; they were both fine, still peacefully floating together, expressions of blank contentment on their faces. It was an eerie sight, but it was apparent that they weren't in any present danger. And. I could still feel that edge of unease, that niggling feeling at the back of my mind. Something felt wrong. It made me want to fight, to pull out my keyblade and banish that lingering unease. But, not everything could be solved with fighting. I knew that…

Just then the alarms in the cockpit of the gummi ship blared to life, screaming their keening warning in rhythm with that sense of unease within me. Cursing under my breath, I hurried to the front of the ship and vaulted over the pilot's seat, landing in it deftly. The sensors were going crazy all around the ship. Something was crossing into the Realm of Light from the Darkness, and fast. Something big. Or many, many smaller things. It was still too early for the sensors to be sure. Any moment though whatever it was would break through the Darkness into this realm and I would be in some serious trouble.

"Heartless!?!" The exclamation escaped my lips as my eyes raked the radar in front of me, waiting for it to show me what was going on. Growing impatient, I punched the code into the keypad to override the auto-pilot and take over full control of the ship. I would rather be as far I could be from danger as possible. However agile it was, the gummi ship Goofy and Donald had sent me wasn't equipped for heavy battle at all. Just a couple of lower-level lasers and shields as far as I could tell. It wasn't built for withstanding the kind of assault the radar was predicting. As I urged the ship's engines to full power to evade the coming battle, an image of Sora's annoyed face filled my head.

"_We can't run! We had to stand and fight 'em, Riku! Come on!"_

His voice rang clear and strong in my mind, but I knew it was just wishful thinking. An involuntary and out-of-place smirk spread across my mouth and I shook my head. That's exactly what Sora would've said if he were with me, healthy and alert. Running away from battle was _not_ his thing. It really wasn't mine either, but I had the wisdom to take a tactical route of retreat when it was prudent. Sora was all passion and action; Kairi would've agreed with me though.

"_Sora, you can't always just rush in like that! You'll get us all hurt or worse one of these days."_

Kairi's worried expression flashed into my mind now, her concerned motherly voice echoing with a memory of Sora's real laugh. My heart ached suddenly. I hadn't really let myself pause long enough to think about it, but I _was_ missing both of them. Gritting my teeth, I pushed the ship into warp drive, changing the destination target to Radiant Garden. Now that the Heartless were coming back full force, I needed to alert everyone to get ready to defend themselves. If nothing else, I would have to get there safely and start looking for a way to heal Sora so I could finally have my friends back. I was so tired of searching for them, so tired of waiting to find my happiness.

As soon as the warp drive threw the gummi ship into the rushing tunnel of light that would take me to Radiant Garden, I felt the Heartless break through into the Realm of Light. There were so many of them! _Too_ many of them. What had happened to trigger the shift in the balance of light and dark? My mind raced as my ship did, hurtling toward the finish line all too quickly. Radiant Garden materialized out of the warp tunnel and the engines automatically slowed for the descent and I took a deep steadying breath

I hadn't really thought about the huge effect Sora and Kairi's decision to vacate their bodies would have on the overall balance of the Light and the Dark. But it did make sense. Their hearts were now in the limbo of my keyblade which meant they were within me essentially and that gave the Darkness a considerable edge. I felt myself frown and worry replaced the empty pang of that aggravating loneliness within me. As if searching for a cure to some unnamed malady afflicting my best friend's heart wasn't bad enough, now I'd have to battle hordes of Heartless to do it. Again. Great.

A heavily accented voice hailing me through the ship's communication panel distracted my darkly spiraling thoughts. Grateful for the interruption, I turned my attention to said panel, hitting the button to pull up the image of the incoming caller on the main display screen. Radiant Garden's resident cowboy Cid's gruff face appeared. He was looking a little ruffled which was understandable, considering the circumstances. I guessed that the sensors in their lab were going berserk too. "Hey! Identify yerself, ya yeller-oh… Riku! It's you." Cid tactfully cleared his throat and nodded to me in his way of a greeting. I returned the nod and quietly voiced my observations about the Heartless situation. "There's been an interesting turn of events, Cid. You and the others should prepare for battle."

Cid chuckled and punched some keys on his side; I supposed he was overriding the town's security system to allow me to land. "Yer tellin' me, pardner! 'Bout a minute before you came tearin' in here our sensors started their blasted hollerin'! The Heartless are back, huh?" I nodded, keeping my eyes downcast, easing the controls gently into landing procedures, steering into the gummi ship dock deftly.

"Yeah…" My reply was more of sigh as I thought again of the reason for the sudden resurgence of Darkness into our peacefully balanced lives. Again Cid interrupted; I would have to thank him for being so distractingly talkative later. "Well, I'll bet you an' Sora'll have some sorta plan for us huh? Come on over to the lab quick as ye can then." Before I could correct him, Cid's image disappeared with a beep.

On my way over to the lab through the swiftly burgeoning Radiant Garden, I let my mind wander. I was keenly aware of the possibility of a Heartless attack at any moment, but my knowledge of the town's defense system put me at ease nonetheless. I wondered about that weird dream, that girl, and the connection they had to the eerie song I couldn't get out of my head. The melody haunted me, summoning up images of the islands, that dark-haired little girl, and her violet eyes. More troubling were the half-remembered images of an older girl in the World That Never Was. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I knew they were all connected to me somehow. It was unsettling to have half-memories of someone I couldn't remember; half-formed feelings for someone I don't recall knowing.

Just as I was about to move my thoughts onto Sora's strange illness and how I was going to tell Leon and the others about it, a familiar voice called out into my mind, freezing me mid-step. "_Riku, can you hear me?"_ Namine's soft voice and gentle energy filled my head now. I nodded, knowing she knew full and well that I could hear her.

Her response felt like a sigh in my head. "_Good. I'm so glad you're alright. I can talk to you through Kairi's heart as long as you will allow me to. I wanted to tell you that I am in Twilight Town and that there are Heartless everywhere." _ I sensed her unease, maybe even fear and it made me worry. Nobody or not, she was part of Kairi and that made her very precious to me.

"Are you with Roxas?" I asked this aloud, making a few of the already uneasy townspeople eye me strangely. I ignored them and waited for Namine's answer. She hesitated which was not a good sign. "_No._ _I…I don't know where Roxas is. He should have awoken near me since…"_ She trailed off and I finished her sentence with images of Sora and Kairi floating eerily over the island, glowing with that strange light, their hearts leaving them in slow motion.

"_Yes. But I can feel him. Roxas is alright, too, Riku, though I can't see where he is."_ Relief flooded me and I took a breath. I hadn't realized that I had been holding my breath, anxious for some news of Roxas. As precious as Namine was to me, Roxas' value was tripled for the same reasons. Part of me had worried that whatever was afflicting Sora would carry over to Roxas. It mad sense that he was unaffected though. He had said that Sora's _heart_ was sick; Roxas had no heart and therefore was fine.

Namine's energy stirred suddenly and I felt her starting to turn her attention from my thoughts. Something was happening and it made me crouch defensively; her fear stirred my instinct to protect and my keyblade glimmered into existence in my hands. I barely even heard the screams of the townspeople around me, focused as I was on Namine. "_The Heartless! They're here!"_

I didn't need Namine's words to come to such a conclusion. Heartless were materializing all around me too. "_Riku! What do I do?"_ Her question caught me off guard. What had she done before to protect herself? Wait, she had always had Organization XIII, Ansem, or me around to fight for her. Now I was worlds away from her and she was alone and defenseless. My mind raced for a way to help her as I leapt around the street, striking down the Heartless effortlessly. They were low level shadows, no real threat to someone like me. But Namine on the other hand…

A bolt of tearing pain, Namine's pain, rushed through my whole body, forcing me to stumble, the breath rushing from my lungs. She was hurt! "No!" I growled through clenched teeth as the Heartless took advantage of my distraction, leaping on me and slashing every part of me they could reach. "_Riku…Roxas…" _Namine's awareness was slipping from my mind, her energy fading; she was passing out!

"Namine! NO!" I couldn't lose her. If I lost her I'd lose Kairi and that was out of the question. The persistent Heartless attacking me were of little concern to me as I racked my brain, trying to hold onto the last of Namine's presence in my mind. Then a memory rushed up within me and with it a trill of hope. The image of Kairi summoning a golden, flowery keyblade to wield in The World That Never Was and battling Heartless back-to-back with me filled my thoughts. I cried out, sending this realization to Namine and shaking the Heartless from me.

If Nobodies all worked the same way, which I figured they did, Roxas could wield a keyblade because Sora could and they were two halves of a whole. Therefore, Namine could do the same because Kairi was a Keybearer too! This gave me a burst of new energy and my keyblade glowed bright as I swung it to defeat the last pesky Heartless attacking me. Panting, I turned my thoughts inward, searching for Namine's presence. She was gone from my mind and I didn't know how the link between us worked well enough to reach out to her. I suppose I could try to tap into the power of Kairi's heart or maybe-

"Hey! Riku!" A slightly annoyingly perky voice cut my thoughts off and I jerked my head up to see Yuffie running towards me waving one of her gloved hands energetically. Her huge ninja star weapon was swinging from her other hand and she looked a little pissed. "What? You didn't save any for me? No fair! Whoa! New keyblade! Cool!" Her words drew my attention to the still-glowing blade in my hands. It _had_ changed. My familiar Way to Dawn had dramatically transformed and my guess was that it had to do with Sora and Kairi's hearts.

Now the hilt's handle was form into a half gold and half silver sort-of-yin-yang. The blade was both gold and silver swirled together as if two separate and very different blades had been fused together. Like parts of the Oathkeeper and Kairi's keyblade had joined together. The end of the blade was in the shape of a winged heart matching the keychain that swung from the handle. It was very much a keyblade that mirrored the fusing of Sora and Kairi. It even felt like their combined energy and it was warm in my hand. I swung it experimentally and let a small smile onto my face before letting the keyblade disappear. I didn't sense any more Heartless nearby.

"Hey Yuffie. Long time no see." I belatedly greeted the ninja, realizing how distracted I must seem to her. "Delayed reaction much?" She raised an eyebrow as she said this, crossing her arms as she studied me with narrowed eyes. Before she could say anything else, Cloud and Leon burst into the square, blades drawn. "Where are they?" "Stand strong!" Their battle cries were simultaneous and obviously unnecessary.

Yuffie whirled on them and opened her mouth to shout, but I cut in front of her, holding my empty hands out for them to see. "I took care of them. The Heartless are gone, for now at least." I couldn't keep the ominous tone out of my words and mentally shrugged. They all could handle the truth. Both men slowed to a walk and sheathed their swords, looking a little disappointed.

"Yeah! Riku got here first and didn't save any fun for us! The big meanie!" Yuffie stuck her tongue out at me and shoved past Leon and Cloud towards the street that led deeper into town. Leon raised an eyebrow as she passed and Cloud merely shrugged. As strong as silent as these two generally were, I got along well with them. We were all men-of-few-words so there was a silent understanding between us. I felt at ease around them especially compared to the other residents of Radiant Garden. Yuffie set me on edge with all her constant jabbering and Aerith had an unnerving air of nurturing around her that made me think of my mom. Tifa intimidated me for more reasons than one, and Cid and Merlin were, well, Cid and Merlin. Enough said.

After trading silent nods of greeting, the three of us worked our way through the streets of Radiant Garden making sure no Heartless were loitering. Leon assured me as we walked that the town's defense system would mop up any stragglers, but Cloud gruffly voiced my thoughts on that subject. "Better to see that the enemies are gone ourselves." Leon shrugged, smirking at my silent nod of agreement. We finished our sweep of the now-peaceful town and made our way to the meet up with the others. Usually we would've met at Ansem's lab, but this was a pseudo-emergency and it would take _much_ longer to reach that location. Merlin's house would have to do.

Muffled arguing could be heard through the door as we approached the oddly leaning dwelling of the wizard. I traded exasperated looks with Cloud and Leon as he pushed the door open. A familiar sight greeted me and a rush of welcome ease swept through me. Even without Sora and Kairi, my dearest friends, I still had people that I counted as friends and allies.

Most of them were gathered before me now, with the exception of a few key faces. Donald, Goofy, Yuffie, Aerith, Tifa, Cid, Merlin, Yuna, Rikku, and Paine were all gathered in the small space of Merlin's house, all talking at the same time, voices raised in anxious and, in some cases, angry tones. I noted King Mickey was _not_ amongst the group and guessed he couldn't get away from the castle and thus had sent Donald and Goofy. I also noticed that Roxas wasn't here. One world checked, many more to go…

No one saw us enter and Cloud slid the door closed silently. We watched them all bicker for a moment before Leon cleared his throat. They were all arguing too loudly to hear him and he looked at me with an expression he clearly wore a lot. It was a mix between tolerant annoyance and amusement. Cloud merely leaned against the wall, obviously content to wait out the storm. I really couldn't handle any more waiting than was absolutely necessary. There was way too much to discuss, way too much to explain, way too much on my mind. I took a deep breath and put my fingers in my mouth, blowing a keening whistle that effectively silenced the whole room.

Ten pairs of eyes turned on me and I lifted a hand in greeting. Leon chuckled and settled against the wall next to Cloud. "RIKU!" Donald and Goofy chorused this together and rushed towards me. I waved at them to stop and shook my head. I wasn't Sora. I didn't need their overwhelmingly happy greeting or the inevitable bear hug that came with it. There was no time for games. I had a lot to tell this assembly about and very little time to get them to understand the need for total focus and cooperation. Sora and Kairi's lives hung in the balance and I needed all the help I could get.


End file.
